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5 ways to reset for a better 2026
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2025 was a lot to take and the holiday festivities were no different.
Now that the revelries are officially over and the Christmas decors are all packed up, consider first giving yourself a reset before diving head first into 2026.
A reset allows you to really think about yourself and your life — where you are at the moment, where you want to be by the end of the year, the goals you want to achieve and why. It may help you consider what problems you may encounter along the way, and pinpoint the stubborn challenges that seem to always meet you where you are.
Of course there are plenty of new things we want to achieve in 2026. There's the perennial losing of weight, a long list of travel goals, and even financial targets — but before signing yourself up to a new goal, perhaps its best to rest and allow realignment to take place.
Below are a few ways to reset:
1. Declutter
Decluttering is perhaps, the easiest way to reset yourself, especially after all the gift-giving of the holidays.
According to a 2023 study, a cluttered space makes it harder to focus, and can lead to increased stress levels, anxiety, and feelings of overwhelm — something nobody wants for the new year.
So declutter. Get rid of old receipts, bank statements, those pesky unused wires you're keeping in case, and other junk in your drawer.
Check your beauty products and throw away expired bottles. Make an audit of your closet and consider donating clothes you've long outgrown, those that no longer fit, or even those you haven't worn in a year.
Drowning in tote bags? Include them in your donation pile — or position them near your home's entrance/exit so you can start using them when you go shopping. One less plastic bag means one less pollutant.
Include your digital hygiene when decluttering, too. Go to your inbox and delete old emails, unsubscribe from newsletters you don't read. Delete those screen grabs from your phone. Close the 20 unread tabs on your browser.
Make space for the new.
2. Participate in Dry January
Don't think of Dry January as a challenge. Instead, consider it the necessary break you're giving your liver, and ultimately your entire body.
As we learned, Dry January gifts you with good sleep, which then blesses you with more energy and better mental health to tackle your daily to-do list.
More energy also means better resolve to hit the gym, which in turn can help you get a head start with the looming weight loss program and fitness goals.
By the end of your 30-day detox, your risk of developing certain cancers — as well as your risk of strokes, heart disease, and hypertensive disease —will have diminished, says non-profit Alcohol Change that spearheaded Dry January back in 2012.
Read our experience of Dry January and let it inspire you to do the same.
3. Give your digestive system a break, too
Before jumping into your balik-alindog program and working your tummy into a frenzy, how about giving your digestive system a rest first?
We don't mean starving yourself, dummy. We mean eating clean and going back to the necessary baseline of correct calories and proper nutrition.
If that already sounds like a chore, we suggest subscribing to meal plans. They should free up your mental bandwidth while ensuring you get the nutrition you need.
Salad Stop's Daily Bowls subscription service is available in 3-day (starts P1,310) or 5-day (starts P2,120) plans. It now also allows customers to order up to 10 daily bowls a day, supporting your commitment to mindful eating and even helping you build that healthier habit.
It has also expanded its exclusive menu, giving customers something new to look forward to. Delicious and exciting menu items like the Samyo Sunrise, a warm, high-protein bowl (romaine, red and white cabbage, oven-baked chicken thigh, pan-seared tofu, red onions, capsicum, fried garlic, and a peanut vinaigrette) that's dairy-free, low-carb, and designed as a satisfying yet balanced meal and Howdy Wrap, a high-protein, hearty wrap (romaine, oat-breaded chicken, cheddar cheese, cage-free eggs, tomatoes, red onions, and a smoky ranch dressing) that offers a more filling option for those looking for something indulgent but still structured.
The Daily Bowls site has weekly cutoffs (12:00nn on Sundays until 9:00am on Mondays) to allow orders to be finalized. They are usually delivered late morning to midday. The bowls are freshly prepared on the day of delivery and are designed to hold well for several hours when kept properly refrigerated, so having one for lunch and one for dinner on the same day is generally fine.
4. Schedule health check-up
No better time than the new year to schedule a complete health check-up. St. Luke's offers different packages for different lifestyle needs. The basic health screening (fasting blood sugar, ophthalmologic examination, lipid profile, creatinine, uric acid, SGPT/ALT) is designed for young people with no symptoms and no risk factors for diabetes, cardio or metabolic disease.
If you're guilty of a sedentary lifestyle, have a family history of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes; have high cholesterol, and your blood pressure is more than 140/90, consider signing up for the cardio metabolic screening. It includes complete blood count, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, treadmill exercise, chest x-ray, urinalysis, ultrasound of liver, and opthamologic examination.
Other packages include Daibetes screening, overweight screening, and the golden health screening package for folks 50 years old and above.
Meanwhile, Makati Medical Center has outpatient packages that start at P19,000 and consists of history and physical exam, CBC, urinalysis and stool routines as well as chest PA and lateral XRAY, a treadmill stress test, ECG, ultrasound of four organs (live gallbladder, pancreas and kidneys) as well as chem tests that include potassium serum, calcium serum, cholesterol total serum, glucose, HDL, and uric acid to name a few.
The urban professionals' screening package A (P18,500) has all that plus diet counseling.
5. Sign up for a session with a life coach
Life coaches can help clarify your goals, improve your performance, tap your inner motivation, address your inner critic, unleash your potential, and correct your habits.
Unlike psychologists or psychiatrists, life coaches are action-based and regarded as interventions.
There are a number of certified life coaches in the Philippines, like Haraya Coaching and Aurora M. Sanchez who offer one-on-one sessions (P5,000) or new year workshops in a group setting. Check them out if you need
— LA, GMA Integrated News
